Apparatus to prevent adhesion of type metal to spaces of line-casting machines



Aug. 8, 1939. G. n. KELLAR -APPARATUS TO PREVENT ADHESION OF TYPE METAL T0 SPACES OF LINE-CASTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ENTOR 2 50 @4 42 BY TTO .lltr u lunr F w l 9 7 2 Aug. 8, 1939.

G D. KELLAR A 2,168,412

APPARATUS TO PREVENT ADHESION OF TYPE METAL T0 SPACES OF LINE-CASTING MACHINES Filed Aug. 13, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVTOR ae 0. 6214/12.

ATTO

Patented Aug. 8, 1939 UNITED STATES APPARATUS TO PREVENT ADHESION TYPE. METAL TO SPACES OF LINE-CAST- ING MACHINES George D'. Kellar, Jamaica, N. Y.

Application August 13, 1938, Serial No. 224,662

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a device for cleaning and lubricating the spaces, space bars or bands of the well known line-casting machine.

Such machines are old in the art and it is not believed necessary to describe in detail their general operation. One of the early patents issued on a line-casting machine is No. 436,532, dated September 16, 1890.

Line-casting machines include mechanism for arranging the matrices in a row so that molten type metal may be pressed into the depressions thereof to form the letters of the line of type. Between each word in the line of matrices is positioned a space for separating the words evenly. These are made in two pieces, a sleeve and a wedge or bar sliding thereon. The sleeve is adapted to be positioned in the line of matrices between the words, and the wedge or bar is adapted to be moved up by the justifier to justify the line, that is, to space the words evenly apart and fill the space between the justifying jaws.

In operation, the outside limits of the line of matrices are fixed by suitable jaws in the justifying mechanism and when the line is somewhat loosely transferred to a position between the jaws, the line of matrices is justified by raising the wedges of the spaces, which action increases evenly the spaces between the words until the line of matrices fills the entire space between the jaws and the first and last matrices of the line are forced and pressed against them.

When the matrices and space bars are thus justified between the jaws, molten type metal under relatively high pressure is forced against the casting side of the matrices to form the type bar or line. Repeated operations of this kind eventually cause some of the type metal to adhere and to accumulate on one side of the sleeve of the space immediately adjacent to the matrix impression mold. The metal will adhere to the side of the sleeve which is not adjacent to the movablewedge and will adhere at a point in line with the depressions in the matrices. Accumulation of metal on the side of the sleeve of the space causes a high point on the sleeve and this is, as said before, immediately adjacent to the depression cut into the matrices. When the wedges of the spaces are forced upwardly to tighten the row of matrices between the jaws, this high point of the space or space sleeve presses against the side wall of the depression in the matrix immediately adjacent thereto, and, because this wall is thin and the pressure created in the line by the uprising wedges is comparatively high, it

forces the side of the wall inwardly and destroys it, thus causing a hairline which is a burr of type metal sticking up above the surface of the type and which punctures and damages the ink rollers of the press and the printing paper causing .6: a smudge of ink to appear thereon, rendering the nearby letters illegible. When the "side wall of of the impression mold of the matrix is forced inwardly and broken by the adhesion of type metal on the space sleeve, a burr of type metal or 10 a hairline will appear in any and every word to which the matrix with the damaged side wall is a member and as often as this matrix is used because there is no longer a wall to confine .the type metal within the mold of the matrix.

In an attempt to prevent the accumulation of type metal on the spaces, as heretofore described, it is now common practice to rub each space on a more or less flat surface covered with graphite. 20 The presence of graphite on the spaces prevents the adhesion and accumulation of type metal thereon. As a practical matter, this operation is performed about once every eight hours and it necessitates the removal of the spaces from the 25 machine, the rubbing of each one individually in the graphite and the return of the spaces to the machine, which operations require about from ten to twenty minutes for the cleaning of the spaces of each machine.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for automatically lubricating and wiping the spaces at the point where the type metal usually accumulates and where its presence is most objectionable, so that it is unnecessary to 35 remove the spaces periodically to perform this manual lubricating and cleaning operation above described. With the applicants device, the space is wiped and lubricated every time it is used and is thus kept lubricated at all times. This is in 40 contrast with the old method whereby the spaces received the graphite treatment about twice daily and is much superior to the old method because graphite is supplied to the spaces in just the proper quantity and place each time a space is 45 used. With the hand method, a surplus amount of graphite existed on the space immediately after the manual lubricating operation and as the space is used, time after time throughout the day, the graphite is removed therefrom until, toward 50 the end of the day, there is insufficient graphite to prevent the formation of the type metal thereon. Too much graphite is present on the spaces immediately after the cleaning and lubricating operation and too little after they have been 55 used for a few hours. The presence of surplus graphite has many disadvantages, some of which are as follows:

1. It is transferred to the matrices and is packed 'and compressed on tight by the pressure in the line caused by the upward movement of the wedges of the spaces during the justification, thus increasing the thickness of the matrices unevenly which interferes with perfect justification of the line.

2. The matrices transfer the surplus graphite into the channels of the magazine where it is packed tight and, especially in damp weather, interferes with their movement in the magazine and. prevents them from responding to the operators touch with the right momentum and often do not respond at all, thus causing transpositions and errors in the assembled line of matrices in front of him.

3. The surplus graphite sets on and blackens the surface of the matrices, thus greatly decreasing the legibility of the reference characters thereon which increases the eye strain on the operator and decreases his chances of detecting and correcting any errors on the line before it is cast.

The disadvantage of insufficient graphite, which is the condition which usually exists after the spaces have been in use for four or five hours, is that the 'molten metal will tend to adhere to the unlubricated surface of the space sleeve, and if the time between graphite treatments is pro longed too much, the result will be a dangerous accumulation of this metal which is ruinous to the side walls of the depressions in the matrices, as heretofore pointed out.

An object of this invention is to preserve and increase the life of the matrices by treating the space bar slide with just the right quantity of graphite compound to prevent the adhesion of the type metal and also to furnish lubricant in such quantities and form as to prevent the accumulation of surplus, with the resultant disadvantages as outlined above. This is accomplished in the applicants device by wiping and lubricating the space sleeves every time they are used and during this operation applying only a small quantity of graphite compound so there remains no surplus on the space bars.

Another advantage of the invention is that it is so designed that it can easily be applied to all standard line-casting machines without structural changes therein.

Still another advantage of the invention is that the device is so designed and constructed as to produce a uniform wiping pressure on the space at all times, regardless of the length of time that the device has been in use and regardless of whether or not the felt is new or has been worn down by constant use over a long period of time.

Another object of the invention is to produce a means for applying graphite compound in stick form, as distinguished from graphite flake or powder which is dirty to handle and difficult to keep out of other parts of the machine and other objects in the composing room where its presence is undesirable.

Still a further object of the invention is to produce such a device which will exert uniform wiping pressure on the space during the wiping operation without the use of spring pressure and a device of such character that the movement of the space as it is freed from the space magazine will not be interfered with.

This invention relates to a device similar to that shown in my co-pending application Serial No, 197,576.

In the drawings:-

Fig. 1 is an end view of applicants device attached to the space magazine of the line-casting machine;

Fig. 2 is a side View of the device so attached;

Fig. 3 is a section through 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a sectional side view showing the wiper in contact with the space;

Fig. 5 is a section through 55 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a section through 66 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a perspective view of a space or spacer bar;

Fig. 8 is an end view of another embodiment of applicants invention;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side view of the embodiment shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a side view, partly in section, of the embodiment of Fig. 8;

Fig. 11 is a side view of an adjustable link; and

Fig. 12 is a side view from the other side of the link shown in Fig. 11.

Looking at the drawings, Fig. '7 shows what is sometimes known as a space, spacer bar or spacer band. Hereafter we will call this device, which is a well known part of a line-casting machine, a space. At I in Fig. '7 is shown the wedge or bar which is very thin at the upper end thereof, shown at 2, and relatively thick at the lower end, shown at 3. The space bar or wedge slides on a sleeve 4 equipped with shoulders 5.

Looking at Fig. 2, the more or less rectangular framework, shown at 6, is the space box or magazine in which the spaces hang from a pair of tracks, shown at 1, (only one track is shown in this view because it is a side view). The spaces are supported on these tracks by means of shoulders 5 and the inclination of the tracks causes the spaces to slide downwardly into the position shown at 8 where a number of spaces are illustrated in the magazine. The space magazine is equipped with a pair of movable fingers at the lower end of the tracks I, one of which fingers is shown at ID in Figs. 3 and 4. These are adapted to move up and down, and in the upward movement lift off the first space in the row and move the bottom thereof over the lip I I of the space channel I2 (Figs. 3 and 4) so that the space may drop downwardly through the space channel to be assembled with the matrices in the line, as is well known in line-casting machines. The fingers ID are attached to a pair of pivoted arms I3, one of which is disposed on each side of the space magazine and which are so designed as to be oper- 1 ated by a space key on the keyboard of the linecasting machine. A pair of suitable links, one of which is shown at I4, connect the arms I3 with the fingers I0. This much of the construction is typical of a standard line-casting machine and forms no part of the present invention, but is briefly referred to here to better describe applicants invention.

This invention consists of a device for cleaning the spaces, and the mechanism thereof is mounted on a flat plate 20 adapted to be attached to the end of the space magazine by suitable screws 2!. In the preferred embodiment, the wiper, shown at 23, is shaped like the segment of a circle and the outer edge is equipped with a felt pad 24. This wiper is mounted on shaft 25 supported in a bearing 26, which in turn is attached to the upper end of a pivoted arm 21 which is pivoted on a shaft 28 mounted in suitable trunnions 29 supported on plate 2|]. This construction is shown in detail Figs. 5 and 6.

The outward movement of arm 21 is limited by .a set screw 30 and the inward movement is limited by contact of the bearing 26 with the plate 20, and, normally, the movement is adjusted to equal about one-eighth of an inch. Attached to the outer end of shaft 25, which serves to support the wiper 23, is a crank or drive member 3| to which is attached .a link 32 by means of a pin 33. The member 3| is shaped as shown so as to weight one side thereof to aid the wiping operation by the gravitational effect of the unbalanced weight. The lower end of link 32 is pinned to another link 34 which in turn is connected at its lower end to the outer end of one of the arms I3. In this case it is shown connected to the left hand arm, as viewed in Fig. l. The member 3| is equipped with two limiting pins. The upper one is shown at 35 and the lower one at 36. This construction connecting the arm I3 with the wiper itself permits a more or less limited movement of said arm to be translated into a rotary movement of the wiper through an arc of a little more than ninety degrees. This is accomplished by arranging the pin 33 close to the center of the member 3|, but through means, of the limiting pins the crank is prevented from passing dead center and thus locking in inoperative position. The lower end of link 34 may be conveniently arranged with an open notch, shown at 31 in Fig. 2, so that it may conveniently be slipped under the machine screw 39 which is part of the equipment of arm I3.

Positioned above the wiper 24 is a graphite stick holder of rectangular cross-section, shown at 40. This is adapted to carry a graphite stick 4| and a small weight 42 on top thereof for pressing the graphite stick downwardly into contact with the felt24 of the wiper 23.

The normal or at rest position of the wiper is shown in Figs. 1 and 2 where the arm I3 is in its uppermost position and the wiper is out of contact with the face of the sleeve of the space. The

wiper is so arranged relative to the space that it contacts that portion of the space on which type metal would normally accumulate if the space were not properly lubricated. When the operator of the machine presses the space key, arm I3 moves downwardly and so does link 32, thus rotating the wiper 23 from the position shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 to the position shown in Fig. 4. This operation serves to wipe the felt against the face of the space sleeve, and upon the upward movement of the arms, the fingers II] raise the first space and permit it to drop through the slot I2.

As the arm I3 returns to its uppermost position, the wiper 23 is rotated back again in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, and into the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and during this movement it again wipes the face of the space sleeve in the opposite direction. During this oscillation of the wiper it moves across the underside of the graphite stiokAI and is supplied with a fresh supply of lubricant, yet it never moves so far but that some portion of the wiper is under the graphite stick, thus preventing it from falling through the holder 4|. The nature of the stick is such that only a small quantity of graphite compound is added on each operation, but it is sufficient to accomplish the desired purpose. In this manner, each space bar is. wiped twice by the graphite carrying felt. It is acted upon first as the wiper moves in an anticlockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 2, from the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, to that shown in Fig. 4, and it is wiped upwardly in the opposite direction upon the return movement.

The movement of the wiper tends to aid the discharge of the space from the magazine because after the wiper has moved downwardly against the space and the disengaging fingers II) have likewise moved downwardly, the wiper and the pins begin their upward movement and the wiper assists the pins in lifting the space from the magazine and discharging it into the space channel.

The center of gravity of the parts is supported in the bearing 26 and the arrangement of the engaging link 32 and the pins on the member 3| is such that, normally, the bearing 26 or end of arm 21 rests against the plate 20 when the wiper is put in operation to contact the first space in the magazine. When there are but a few spaces in the magazine, the pressure of the Wiper against the first space will not be sufiicient to push that space backwardly away from the pins which normally would disengage the space because the wiper will yield in the opposite direction on the pivoted arm 21. When the space magazine carries a large number of spaces, the

, wiper will not jam against the first space as it might do if the wiper could not yield because the wiper can move back when the pressure against the face of the space becomes excessive. Thus, with this construction, the wiper does not interfere with the normal movement of the space. When there are few spaces, the wiper will not push the first space back where it could not be engaged by the pins which are designed to remove it from the magazine, nor, on the other hand, when there are a large number of spaces, will the wiper jam itself against the first space and thus prevent the proper discharge of the space.

g In the embodiment shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the device is shown adapted to a line-casting machine of standard design wherein the wiper must be operated by an arm M3 on the right side of the magazine, as viewed in Fig. 8. In this embodiment the pivoted lever 63 is transversely disposed on the plate I20 and pivoted at 6|. The right hand end, as seen in Fig. 8, is attached to the arm, H3 by means of a drilled yoke 62 secured in place on arm II3 with set screw 63. Strap 65 serves as a guide for lever 33.

The other end of lever 60 is connected by means of a screw 34 with link I32, the upper end of which is pinned to member I 3| by means of pin I33. Limiting pins I35 and I33 prevent pin I33 from passing dead center. Pin I33 is preferably of much smaller diameter than the hole through link I32 through which it passes to insure free movement and a certain amount of play so that arm I21 may pivot freely at all times and thus prevent pressing on the space to such an extent as to arrest its free discharge. Shaft I25 is supported in a housing I26 which in turn is supported on an arm. I21 which is pivoted at its lower end on. a shaft I28 supported on trunnions I29. A wiper felt I24 is carried on a segmental support (not shown), which support is keyed to shaft I25. The graphite holder is shown at I43 and the weight at I 32. The graphite is shown at I lI.

It will be seen in Fig. 10 that the pin I33 is disposed on the right side of the center of the member I3I, as viewed inthis figure, so that upon movement of the arm I I3 downwardly and movement of the left end of lever 60 upwardly (as viewed in Fig. 8) the wiper I24 will move in a counter-clockwise direction, as viewed in Fig. 10, to wipe the first space and then, upon the upward return of arm I I3, the wiper will be rotated back to its original position. It will be seen that the general operation and construction of this embodiment is similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 7, inclusive, except that it is designed to be operated from an arm disposed on the right side of the magazine, as viewed in Fig. 8, instead of an arm on the left side.

Figs. 11 and 12 show an adjustable link for connecting the actuating arm of the magazine with the crank member of the space cleaning device. Sometimes the distance betwen the shaft and the operating arms I3 or I I3 will vary somewhat so that it has been found advantageous to make this connecting link adjustable in length. In these figures the adjustable arm. is shown as part of a mechanism. such as that illustrated in Figs. 8, 9 and 10, but the same construction can be used in the connecting arm shown in Figs. 1 to 4. The adjustable connecting arm 232 is made of two pieces, the upper one shown at 232 and the lower one at 232*. The lower one is connected to a cross arm such as that shown at 60 in Fig. 8 by a screw 64. The upper arm is connected by pin 233 to a member 23I. This member is equipped with limiting pins 235 and 236 to prevent the arm 232 from. passing dead center during its operation. The diameter of the body of the pin 233 is made considerably smaller than the diameter of the hole in the end of the link 232*, so there is considerable play at this point. This is desirable to enable the arm I 21 to move freely on the pivot point I28 and so that the arm and the members connected thereto can adjust themselves within the limits set by the screw I30 and thus press against the space by gravity and not by any positive pressure produced through the link I32 This will insure the free movement of the space from the magazine.

The upper and lower connecting rod members, shown at 232 and 232', are connected together by a slotted channel sleeve 240 designed to re ceive the two portions of the connecting link within the side members of the channel. This sleeve is furnished with a long slot MI and the lower portion of the connecting link 232 is connected to the sleeve by a screw 242 passing through the slot and threaded into the lower portion of the connecting link. Likewise, the upper portion of the connecting link 23.2 is connected by a screw 243 passing through the slot. By loosening one or both of the screws 242 and 243, the connecting arm may be lengthened or shortened, and when the desired length is attained and the screws are tightened, the link will function as a single piece.

The present invention is designed to apply other substances than graphite to the spaces. In practice the application of mercury has been found to possess many advantages. A space coated with mercury will not collect type metal because the type metal will not adhere to the portion of the space which is treated with the mercury. The mercury may be applied alone with any of the wiper mechanisms above described or it may be incorporated with graphite to produce a mixture having the advantage of minimum adhesion with good lubricating qualities. The graphite and mercury may be made into a solid stick by the use of a suitable binder and this can be used in the device heretofore described. Any binder may be used to make up the mercury in solid form for use in the mechanism herein shown, so that it may be incorporated in a stick with some inert binder with or without a lubricant such as graphite.

A mixture of lard, wax and graphite made in stick form has been found very satisfactory in practice. This mixture possesses the proper lubricating qualities and sufiicient body and firmness to function satisfactorily in applicant's device.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described, a wiper for a space of a line-casting machine, a pivoted arm for supporting said wiper so that the latter may be moved toward and away from the space during the wiping operation, limiting means for limiting the inward and outward movement of said arm, and means for pivoting said arm so that it normally moves by gravity only toward its forward position.

2. In a device of the character described, a rotatable wiper for a space of a line-casting machine, a drive shaft for said wiper, a pivoted arm for supporting said drive shaft, means for limiting the movement of said arm so that the movement of said wiper toward and away from the space being acted upon is limited, and pivoted supporting means for said arm so positioned relative thereto and the parts thereon as to cause said wiper to normally fall by gravity toward the space being operated on.

3. In a device of the character described, a rotatable shaft, a wiper on one end of said shaft for wiping spaces, a pivoted arm for supporting said shaft, a member on the other end of said shaft with an eecentrically positioned drive pin adapted to be attached to a drive link, and limiting pins on said member to prevent said drive pin from rotating beyond dead center.

4. In a device of the character described, a rotatable shaft, a wiper on one end of said shaft, a drive member on the other end, a pivoted arm supporting said drive shaft on the upper end thereof, means for limiting the movement of said arm, and a pivot for said arm so disposed that said arm and the parts supported thereby normally fall by gravity toward the space being operated on.

5. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drive shaft, a wiper thereon, means for supplying lubricant to said wiper, a drive member attached to said shaft, a vertically disposed pivoted arm for supporting said drive shaft on the upper end thereof, means for limiting the movement of said arm about its pivot point, and a pivot support for the lower end of said arm so disposed that said arm and the parts attached thereto tend to move by gravity toward the space to be wiped.

6. In a device of the character described, a wiper for a space of a line-casting machine, means for supplying lubricant to said wiper, a rotatable shaft for carrying said wiper, a pivoted arm for supporting said wiper so that the latter may be moved toward and away from the space during the wiping operation, limiting means for limiting the inward and outward movement of said arm, a crank member for said shaft weighted on one side of the center of said shaft to normally cause the latter to revolve to bring the wiper into operable contact with the space to be acted upon, and means for operably connecting said wiper mechanism to the space discharge mechanism actuated by the space key of the keyboard.

'7. In a device of the character described, a wiper for a space of a line-casting machine, a pivoted arm for supporting said wiper so that the latter may be moved toward and away from the space during the wiping operation, limiting means for limiting the inward and outward movement of said arm, means for pivoting said arm so that it normally moves by gravity only toward the space to be operated upon, and means for operably connecting said wiper to the space discharge mechanism actuated by the space key of the keyboard.

8. In a device of the character described, a rotatable drive shaft, a wiper thereon, a drive member attached to said shaft, a vertically disposed pivoted arm for supporting said drive shaft on the upper end thereof, means for limiting the movement of said arm about its pivot point, and a pivot support for the lower end of said arm so disposed that said arm and the parts attached thereto tend to move by gravity toward the space to be wiped.

GEORGE D. KELLAR. 

